diff --git a/tests/Composer/Test/DependencyResolver/SolverTest.php b/tests/Composer/Test/DependencyResolver/SolverTest.php
index e74f11b06..b3c7f4a46 100644
--- a/tests/Composer/Test/DependencyResolver/SolverTest.php
+++ b/tests/Composer/Test/DependencyResolver/SolverTest.php
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($newPackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.1'));
 
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('<', '1.1'), 'requires')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '1.1'), 'requires')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -123,12 +123,12 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($newPackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.1'));
         $this->reposComplete();
 
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0.0.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0.0.0'), 'requires')));
 
-        $this->request->install('A', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
-        $this->request->install('B', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.1.0.0'));
-        $this->request->update('A', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
-        $this->request->update('B', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->install('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->install('B', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.1.0.0'));
+        $this->request->update('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->update('B', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
 
         $this->checkSolverResult(array(
             array('job' => 'update', 'from' => $packageB, 'to' => $newPackageB),
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($this->getPackage('A', '2.0'));
         $this->reposComplete();
 
-        $this->request->install('A', new VersionConstraint('<', '2.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->install('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '2.0.0.0'));
         $this->request->update('A');
 
         $this->checkSolverResult(array(array(
@@ -199,8 +199,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($this->getPackage('A', '2.0'));
         $this->reposComplete();
 
-        $this->request->install('A', new VersionConstraint('<', '2.0.0.0'));
-        $this->request->update('A', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->install('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '2.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->update('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
 
         $this->checkSolverResult(array(array(
             'job' => 'update',
@@ -217,8 +217,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($this->getPackage('A', '2.0'));
         $this->reposComplete();
 
-        $this->request->install('A', new VersionConstraint('<', '2.0.0.0'));
-        $this->request->update('A', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->install('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '2.0.0.0'));
+        $this->request->update('A', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.0.0.0'));
 
         $this->checkSolverResult(array(array(
             'job' => 'update',
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($newPackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.1'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageC = $this->getPackage('C', '1.1'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($this->getPackage('D', '1.0'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('<', '1.1'), 'requires')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '1.1'), 'requires')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -259,8 +259,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($middlePackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($newPackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.1'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($oldPackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '0.9'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('<', '1.1'), 'requires')));
-        $packageA->setConflicts(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('<', '1.0'), 'conflicts')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '1.1'), 'requires')));
+        $packageA->setConflicts(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('<', '1.0'), 'conflicts')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -306,8 +306,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageA = $this->getPackage('A', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageQ = $this->getPackage('Q', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '0.8'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageQ->setProvides(array(new Link('Q', 'B', new VersionConstraint('=', '1.0'), 'provides')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageQ->setProvides(array(new Link('Q', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('=', '1.0'), 'provides')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -324,8 +324,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageA = $this->getPackage('A', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageQ = $this->getPackage('Q', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageQ->setReplaces(array(new Link('Q', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageQ->setReplaces(array(new Link('Q', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -341,8 +341,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
     {
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageA = $this->getPackage('A', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageQ = $this->getPackage('Q', '1.0'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageQ->setReplaces(array(new Link('Q', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageQ->setReplaces(array(new Link('Q', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -359,8 +359,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageA = $this->getPackage('A', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageQ = $this->getPackage('Q', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageQ->setReplaces(array(new Link('Q', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageQ->setReplaces(array(new Link('Q', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -377,24 +377,24 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
     {
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageX = $this->getPackage('X', '1.0'));
         $packageX->setRequires(array(
-            new Link('X', 'A', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'requires'),
-            new Link('X', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'requires')));
+            new Link('X', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('X', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'requires')));
 
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageA = $this->getPackage('A', '2.0.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($newPackageA = $this->getPackage('A', '2.1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($newPackageB = $this->getPackage('B', '2.1.0'));
 
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'requires')));
 
         // new package A depends on version of package B that does not exist
         // => new package A is not installable
-        $newPackageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.2.0.0'), 'requires')));
+        $newPackageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.2.0.0'), 'requires')));
 
         // add a package S replacing both A and B, so that S and B or S and A cannot be simultaneously installed
         // but an alternative option for A and B both exists
         // this creates a more difficult so solve conflict
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageS = $this->getPackage('S', '2.0.0'));
-        $packageS->setReplaces(array(new Link('S', 'A', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'replaces'), new Link('S', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'replaces')));
+        $packageS->setReplaces(array(new Link('S', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'replaces'), new Link('S', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0.0.0'), 'replaces')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -412,8 +412,8 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageA = $this->getPackage('A', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB1 = $this->getPackage('B', '0.9'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB2 = $this->getPackage('B', '1.1'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageB2->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'A', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageB2->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -433,10 +433,10 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageC = $this->getPackage('C', '1.0'));
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageD = $this->getPackage('D', '1.0'));
-        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageB->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'Virtual', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
-        $packageC->setRequires(array(new Link('C', 'Virtual', new VersionConstraint('==', '1.0'), 'provides')));
-        $packageD->setRequires(array(new Link('D', 'Virtual', new VersionConstraint('==', '1.0'), 'provides')));
+        $packageA->setRequires(array(new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageB->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'Virtual', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires')));
+        $packageC->setRequires(array(new Link('C', 'Virtual', $this->getVersionConstraint('==', '1.0'), 'provides')));
+        $packageD->setRequires(array(new Link('D', 'Virtual', $this->getVersionConstraint('==', '1.0'), 'provides')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
@@ -461,18 +461,18 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageD2 = $this->getPackage('D', '1.1'));
 
         $packageA->setRequires(array(
-            new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires'),
-            new Link('A', 'C', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('A', 'C', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'requires'),
         ));
 
         $packageD->setReplaces(array(
-            new Link('D', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
-            new Link('D', 'C', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
+            new Link('D', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
+            new Link('D', 'C', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
         ));
 
         $packageD2->setReplaces(array(
-            new Link('D', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
-            new Link('D', 'C', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
+            new Link('D', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
+            new Link('D', 'C', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'replaces'),
         ));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
@@ -496,23 +496,23 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageD = $this->getPackage('D', '2.0.9'));
 
         $packageC->setRequires(array(
-            new Link('C', 'A', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0'), 'requires'),
-            new Link('C', 'D', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('C', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('C', 'D', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0'), 'requires'),
         ));
 
         $packageD->setRequires(array(
-            new Link('D', 'A', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.1'), 'requires'),
-            new Link('D', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0-dev'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('D', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.1'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('D', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0-dev'), 'requires'),
         ));
 
-        $packageB1->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'A', new VersionConstraint('==', '2.1.0.0-dev'), 'requires')));
-        $packageB2->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'A', new VersionConstraint('==', '2.1.0.0-dev'), 'requires')));
+        $packageB1->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('==', '2.1.0.0-dev'), 'requires')));
+        $packageB2->setRequires(array(new Link('B', 'A', $this->getVersionConstraint('==', '2.1.0.0-dev'), 'requires')));
 
-        $packageB2->setReplaces(array(new Link('B', 'D', new VersionConstraint('==', '2.0.9.0'), 'replaces')));
+        $packageB2->setReplaces(array(new Link('B', 'D', $this->getVersionConstraint('==', '2.0.9.0'), 'replaces')));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
 
-        $this->request->install('C', new VersionConstraint('==', '2.0.0.0-dev'));
+        $this->request->install('C', $this->getVersionConstraint('==', '2.0.0.0-dev'));
 
         $this->setExpectedException('Composer\DependencyResolver\SolverProblemsException');
 
@@ -525,7 +525,7 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));;
 
         $packageA->setConflicts(array(
-            new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'conflicts'),
+            new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '1.0'), 'conflicts'),
         ));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ class SolverTest extends TestCase
         $this->repo->addPackage($packageB = $this->getPackage('B', '1.0'));
 
         $packageA->setRequires(array(
-            new Link('A', 'B', new VersionConstraint('>=', '2.0'), 'requires'),
+            new Link('A', 'B', $this->getVersionConstraint('>=', '2.0'), 'requires'),
         ));
 
         $this->reposComplete();
diff --git a/tests/Composer/Test/TestCase.php b/tests/Composer/Test/TestCase.php
index 05a788517..1e3ae257e 100644
--- a/tests/Composer/Test/TestCase.php
+++ b/tests/Composer/Test/TestCase.php
@@ -27,6 +27,14 @@ abstract class TestCase extends \PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
         }
     }
 
+    protected function getVersionConstraint($operator, $version)
+    {
+        return new VersionConstraint(
+            $operator,
+            self::$versionParser->normalize($version)
+        );
+    }
+
     protected function getPackage($name, $version)
     {
         $normVersion = self::$versionParser->normalize($version);